Analysis of the Time Course of Change in Nitrogen Content in Dactylis glomerata L. Using a Model of Plant Growth

The growth, root fraction and nitrogen content of Dactylis glomerataL. grown hydroponically in constant environmental conditions,were measured in the vegetative phase. The variation of theseparameters denotes a progressive change in the chemical compositionof the plant, which can be attributed to changing proportionsof structural material, which is immediately available for growth,and storage material. On the basis of a kinetic model of plantgrowth, a definition of the two components was proposaed, whichled us to derive a relationship between relative growth rateand nitrogen content. This relationship was found to be compatiblewith experimental data. Dactylis glomerata L., vegetative phase, kinetic model, growth rate, nitrogen content